Apparatus for controlling the supply of steam and oil to an oil cracking still



May 18 1926. 1,585,381

C. J. GREENSTREET APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF STEAM AND OIL TO AN OIL CRACKING STILL Filed Dec. 27, 1919 to Q Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1585381 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. CREENSTREET, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GASOLINE CORPORA- TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF STEAM AND OIL TO AN OIL- CRACKING STILL.

Application Tiled December 27, 1919. Serial No. 347,811.

This invention relates to an apparatus for adjusting the supply of steam to a still so that a proper flow is always insured.

It alsorelates to an apparatus for feeding oil and steam into an oil cracking still and is particularly applicable for use with the oil cracking still shown in the oo-pending 1 application of Charles J. Greenstreet, Serial ging of the apparatus.

No. 333,624, filed October 27, 1919.

The still described in that application 18 particularly useful with the Greenstreet' cracking process set forth in Greenstreet Patent No. 1,110,924, September 15, 1914. In the practice of that process, steam and oil are passed into a long coil where they are subjected to heat and pressure to crack the oils to change them from heavy hydrocarbons to lighter hydrocarbons. The process and apparatus permit the cracking process to be carried on continuously without clogging which is one of the chief difficulties in most other forms of cracking stills.

A suitable fluid such as steam is used in the Greenstreet process for preventing the formation of-carbon deposits and the clog- It is important, therefore, that the steam supply to the still always be adequate for the conditions under which the still is being run. Considerable difiic-ulty has been experienced in achieving this result with the usual valves and methods tain amount that the valve opening is cor- 'rect and that a proper fiow of steam is being secured. If theflow is not enough, the resul s are detrimental and the same is true if t e flow is excessive. i

The present invention is directed,among other things, to a satisfactory practical solution of this problem.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which an operator can positively determine that the proper amount of steam is flowing into a still.

Another object is to provide an apparatus'for feeding 'oil and steam into a still which will insure that the proper flow of steam is being maintained.

vention will hereinafter appear.

entrance pipe 2, flow through the coil 1 where the oil is cracked and are through pipe 3.

The steam is introduced into 2 through the pipe 5. .1

Located in the steam pipe is a supply valve 6' controlling the entrance of steam into the pipe at from any suitable source of steam such as a boiler. A still valve 7 is also located in the pipe tfor controlling the entrance of steam into the still. The steam pressure is determined by means of a gage 8 located as shown. Between the supply valve and the still valve there is located a steam outlet controlled by a valve 9 which when opened, permits the steam in pipe 4: to vent to the atmosphere.

By means of this arrangement the operator can positively and visibly determne when the proper amount of steam is flowing. He first makes sure that the still valve 7 is closed then opens the vent valve 9 and passed out entrance pipe the pipe 4 and the oil through finally adjusts the supply valve 6 until the valve 9 and opens the still valve 7 permitting the stream of steam to flow to the still. ThlS ermits the steam to be admitted to the stlll without requiring the further adjustm'ent of the supply valve 6 and'the operator knows that the proper volume of steam is flowing.

The oil supply entering the pipe 5 is controlled by a valve 10 and .its pressure is measured by a gage 11.

If too much oil enters the still without an adequate supply of steam, the efliciency of the still is decreased and clogging mayresult. In order to guard against this, the

ressure of the steam is always maintained iigher than that of theoil so that the steam ing a problem that has givenconsiderable difiicultyin practice. The still operator can always positively determine that he has a proper volume of steam flowing and he can feel sure that the steam is coinmingling properly with'the oil by reason of the fact that the steam is under greater pressure than the oil. c

It is to be understood that the constructon shown is for purposes of illustration and that variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for treating heavy hydrocarbon oils which comprises a heating coil, means for heating said coil, an intake pipe leading to said coil and having two intake branches, one of said branches being adapted .to be connected to a source of steam pressure and having therein a shut-oil valve, a regulating valve for controlling the admission of steam, and a valve controlled vent to the atmosphere located between said shutoff valve and said regulating Valve, and the other of said intake branches being connected to a supply of oil and having a shut-off valve therein.

2. An apparatus for treating hydrocarbon oils comprisng a heating coil, means for heating said coil, an intake pipe for said coil having two branches, one connected to a source of steam and the other to a supply of oil, a cut-01f valve and a regulating valve located in the branch connected to the steam supply, a valve controlled vent to the atmosphere located in said branch between said cut-ofi and regulating valves, and a pressure gage located in said branch beyond the cutoil Valve, said oil supply branch being provided with a cut-ofi' valve and a pressure gage- In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

CHARLES J. GREENSTREET. 

